What Have You Done, Martha?
Darla and Stewart had started Cally on treatment but were keeping her at home. They had come to ask Martha for some help taking care of and watching Cally for a few weekends while they went to visit their parents to help sort things out. They didn't want to put Cally through the hassle of picking up and moving while she was so sick, and the couple wanted to go together to visit their parents, but they wanted to make sure Cally was being watched after someone she knew, and who cared about her a lot. Martha had no choice but to accept; Martha couldn't stand the idea of leaving Cally alone in a hospital or with a strange new live-in nurse. Martha spent the next few weekends with Cally, who looked worse and worse with each visit. Martha felt as if she was losing hold of herself, and almost wished she had never met Darla and Stewart, wishing they had never moved in across the street. Martha loved Cally so much but the pain she could see in Cally's eyes, where they were once full of joy and innocence were now filled with pain and sadness. Cally looked how Martha felt. Each time Darla and Stewart spoke with the doctors the news got worse. One of the last trips they were taking to see their parents Martha was with Cally. Martha was alone with Cally all weekend, caring for her, reading to her, telling her stories, sharing everything she possibly could. Martha loved Cally, and couldn't bear to see this poor, fragile, innocent child have life drained from her so slowly and painfully. When Darla and Stewart returned home from their trip, they thought it strange that Martha was not in her usual spot to greet them in the living room after having made sure Cally was asleep. Thinking she may be in the bathroom, Darla goes to Cally's room to check on her baby. On her way up the stairs she starts to get a strange feeling. Thinking something just does not feel right, that things are too quiet, and that she hasn't heard Martha in the bathroom she passed on her way upstairs, or hear even the slightly snoring or cooing from Cally in her sleep as she neared the bedroom door. She quickens her pace and throws open the door, to find Cally, who looks as if she is peacefully asleep in Martha's arms. Her tension eases slightly thinking both are fast asleep. Darla gently goes over to wake Martha and pick up Cally, when she notices neither of them are breathing deeply, as one does, while they're asleep. She also notices that neither of their chests ware rising and falling... Reaching out a hand to wake Martha, her fingers press against icy, hard skin. Darla screams, grabbing Cally, trying to shake her awake. Nothing happens. Stewart, seconds later, races into the room bewildered at what all the commotion is and after failing to understand what Darla is yelling about through her tears, Stewart's eyes fall upon a medication bottle that he hasn't ever seen of Cally's before. He picks it up, and reads the name on the prescription bottle. It formerly belonged to a man named Stanley. Dropping the prescription bottle and slowly backing away taking his wife in his arms, he looks from Cally to Martha thinking, “Martha Stadler, what have you done?!” Category:Mental Illness